Former IRA commander eyes presidency

The former commander still suffers a hostile media and a public unwilling to forgive him for past aggressions.

The Irish will be voting to elect a new president and while the job is largely symbolic, the current campaign has proved particularly controversial.

Among the candidates of business people, a former academic and mid-ranking politicians is a one-time commander of the provisional Irish Republican Army, Martin McGuinness, who is trying to further cement his role as a mainstream politician.